INTERRELATIONSHIPS OF RELIGIOSITY, SOCIAL RESOURCES, COPING RESPONSES, HEALTH, AND WELL-BEING AMONG OLDER ADULTS.
Contributors: University Of Illinois At Chicago, Health Sciences Center.
Published: 1989
Number of pages: 192
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Gerontology.
Description: The purpose of this study was to develop and test a conceptual framework derived from a holistic perspective which would allow for the examination of the psychosocial determinants of health and well-being in older adults. Specifically, the roles of religiosity, social resources, coping responses, and personal factors in explaining health and well-being of the elderly were modeled and tested.

Using an exploratory survey approach, a self-administered interview schedule was completed by a non-randomized convenience sample of elders (N = 222). Participants in the study were predominantly female (73%), widowed (48%), white (99%), and Protestant (73%) with a mean age of 75.9 years. Their health status was good to excellent (68%) and their well-being was well above average. The study settings included eleven sites that varied in socio-economic characteristics of the attendees, and were representative of places where senior citizens gather to pursue activities.

Relative to the conceptual framework, eight of the eleven paths originally hypothesized were confirmed. A significant path emerged which had not been conceptualized from coping to religiosity.

Explanatory significance of the model was derived from its ability to explain 49% of the variance in health status via the contributions of symptoms, problems, well-being, and adequacy of income. Health status, social resources, and symptoms explained 25% of the variance in the elders sense of well-being. The proposed mediating variables--coping, religiosity, and social resources had no direct explanatory role in describing health. Coping and religiosity, however, contributed indirectly to social resources which was a major direct contributor to well-being. Strong interaction effects between religiosity and the elders social resources were demonstrated to have an impact on coping.

From the findings derived from this study, further conceptualization can proceed regarding the role and expression of religiosity in the lives of elders. However, the differential impact of both the indirect and direct influences on health and well-being demonstrated in this study are clear points of departure for the development of nursing interventions and subsequent research.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 50-05, Section: B, page: 1856.

Thesis (PH.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO, HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER, 1989.

School code: 0806.